The subject matter described herein relates generally to a system and method of distributing air within a wind turbine.
At least some known wind turbine towers include a nacelle fixed atop a tower. The nacelle includes a rotor assembly coupled to a generator through a rotor shaft. In known rotor assemblies, a plurality of blades extend from a rotor. The blades are oriented such that wind passing over the blades turns the rotor and rotates the shaft, thereby driving the generator to generate electricity.
In at least some known wind turbines, various wind turbine components are positioned within the tower and/or the nacelle. During operation of known wind turbines, the wind turbine components generate heat which increases a temperature of the tower and/or the nacelle. As the temperature of the tower and/or the nacelle is increased, the operation of the wind turbine components may be adversely affected.
Because many known wind turbines provide electrical power to utility grids, at least some wind turbines have larger components (e.g., rotors in excess of thirty meters in diameter) that facilitate supplying greater quantities of electrical power. However, the larger components are often subjected to increased loads (e.g., asymmetric loads) that result from wind shears, yaw misalignment, and/or turbulence. In addition, at least some known wind turbines are subjected to ambient temperatures that may result in the formation of ice across known rotor blades. The formation of ice across known rotor blades may contribute to significant fatigue cycles on the rotor blade and/or other components of the wind turbine. As the wind turbine components become worn, the wind turbine becomes less effective generating electricity.